The present invention relates generally to ski poles and more specifically relates to attachments for ski poles.
Skiing is a sport which involves a substantial amount of physical activity. Accordingly, it is not uncommon for skiers to become physically exhausted during a prolonged period of skiing. During downhill skiing sessions, the skier often travels to the top of the hill on a ski lift between periods of downhill skiing. It would be desirable to make the skier as comfortable as possible while being transported to the top of the hill on the ski lift so as to take maximum advantage of the rest periods provided during travel on the ski lift.
Many chair type ski lifts, however, do not include foot rests. While traveling on such ski lifts, the skier's feet are free to dangle from the seat of the ski lift. Furthermore, the skier is wearing rather heavy ski boots and skis which together exert a considerable downward pull on the skier's feet and legs. Prolonged travel on a ski chair lift may actually contribute to the physical exhaustion of a skier as a result of the downward pull of the boots and skis.
Of the various ski pole attachments known in the prior art (see e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,179,436 and 3,350,111 which respectively disclose a ski pole seat and a boot scraper), none are known to provide a foot rest for use on a chair ski lift.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved ski pole which permits the skier to rest his feet while traveling on a ski chair lift.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved ski pole that serves as a foot rest and which does not interfere with the use of the ski pole during skiing.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved ski pole which may be hooked onto the chair of a ski lift so as to provide a rigid support for both feet of the skier.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for improving a ski pole so as to provide a ski pole which provides a foot rest when a skier is traveling on a chair ski lift.
These and other objects of the present invention will become obvious from the following detailed description of the present invention and from the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The improved ski pole and apparatus for improving a ski pole according to the present invention relate to a conventional ski pole having a handle at an upper end and a basket at a lower end of the ski pole. A first bracket member is pivotably mounted on a shaft of the ski pole preferably at a mid-section of the shaft. The first bracket member preferably is channel shaped having first and second side portions and a web portion extending between the two side portions. The side portions extend beyond the web portion with the bracket member pivotable about an axis extending through the extensions of the side portions and perpendicularly through an axis of the shaft. The first bracket member is pivotable between a first position and a second position with the bracket member extending perpendicularly with respect to the ski pole in the first position. The end of the web portion limits the pivoting movement of the first bracket member to a predetermined position. Further movement of the first bracket member towards the handle of the ski pole is thereby prevented. In the second position, the first bracket member is substantially aligned with the shaft. The side portions of the bracket member releasably grip the shaft so as to releasably fix the bracket member on the shaft. In this way, the bracket member will remain stationary with respect to the ski pole during skiing.
A second bracket member which preferably includes an annular disk is provided on the shaft at a predetermined distance beneath the first bracket member. Preferably, the annular disk is located immediately above the basket of the ski pole. The annular disk is provided with a concentric bore or passageway to accept the shaft of the ski pole. Axial movement of the annular disk toward the lower end of the ski pole is obstructed, for example, by a cotter pin which passes through a bore of the ski pole. In this way, the first and second bracket members may be provided at a predetermined axial distance with respect to one another during use.
When used as a foot rest, the first bracket member is fixed outwardly with respect to the ski pole and is hooked onto a front edge portion of a chair of a ski lift. The ski pole is oriented generally vertically with the lower portion of the ski pole extending downwardly between the legs of the skier. Preferably, the distance between the first and second bracket members corresponds approximately with the distance between the knee and the foot of the skier. In this way, the skier may comfortably position his skis on the annular disk (or second bracket member) to thereby rest his feet.